The Real Reason Electronics Are Affecting Our Sleep - Part II

Some people may still sleep poorly even after following the basic tips from "The Real Reasons Electronics Are Affecting Our Sleep." In 2005, I was sleeping so poorly that I had to be hospitalized.  I tried everything I could find: doctors, medicines, supplements, neurofeedback.  I saw some minor improvement, but nothing really restored that deep rejuvenating sleep I had known for years.

One day, on vacation, I realized that I could actually sleep well in some places. What was different?  My bedroom at home was pretty quiet, except for a subtle high pitched noise.  I became convinced that the noise was the cause of my sleep disturbance.  It took me three years to find the source of it.  The most helpful person was a building biologist who helped measured EMF (electromagnetic fields), wireless radiation and electrical noise (dirty electricity) on our household wiring.

We put in a few dirty electrical noise filter plugs and I noticed the pitch of the noise I heard at night changed and I finally started to sleep better again. Eventually, I turned off the wi-fi permanently and switched to wired ethernet for all of our computers.  We also replaced our cordless phone with a corded phone.   Additionally, we reduced levels of magnetic fields and electric fields (EMFs) in our bedrooms.  The fields "carry" the noise - just like a speaker transmits sound. When the fields are lower, it's like lowering the volume of a stereo speaker.

The hardest part of the experience for me was recognizing that technology could be a problem.  I worked in Silicon Valley and had always viewed technology as good and completely safe.  This belief proved to not entirely correct.  I now fund work to raise awareness about wireless safety and the safety of EMF (electromagnetic fields), including their potential role in the rising autism epidemic (Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link - Part I).  

Sadly, like me, most people have assumed that this is all completely safe and well tested.  Some sleep labs at very elite universities even advertise that they have Wi-Fi in their labs.  I have yet to find a study that demonstrates Wi-Fi does not effect sleep.   The emerging data on wireless and EMF shows that our biological processes are impacted at very fundamental levels.  

Here are some more advanced tips for sleeping well without interference from wireless radiation and EMF:

-Measure the level of electrical noise in your home's wiring with a Stetzerizer or Greenwave meter.  Use the meter to locate high sources of electrical noise and find devices that might be generating it.

-Don't sleep with your head near a power panel or circuit breaker box.  These are sources of high magnetic fields.

-Consider moving your head away from the A/C plugs around the wall or try sleeping with your head toward the middle of the room.

-If you have a smart meter, consider opting out.  They emit a wireless pulse every 6 seconds and the switching power supply in the units can increase the dirty electricity noise in your home.

-Look for other sources of constant wireless radiation: alarm systems, wireless weather stations and bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices.

-Hire a building biologist or environmental consultant come to your house to measure EMF levels and look for other sources of wireless radiation and EMF. Some sources of exposure may be outside your home and they can help you shield your home from those exposures.

Almost everyone is now effected by this rising threat to deep healthy sleep. Most people know something is wrong, but have failed to find the invisible factor effecting sleep.  I hope after reading these articles, that this factor is now clear, and that you will take action to mitigate it to improve your sleep and your family's sleep.

Peter Sullivan is an environmental health advocate, autism funder and writer.  He lives in Los Altos, California with his wife and two boys.

The Real Reason Electronics Are Affecting Our Sleep

Many people are now noticing that they do not sleep well after using electronic devices late at night. Some have attributed the sleep disturbance to exposure to blue light, since it is stimulating and known to reduce melatonin levels at night. But that is only one part of the problem. 

It is important to understand that wireless radiation and EMF (electromagnetic fields) emitted by these devices are basically light with a frequency that is below what our eyes can perceive.  We know that exposure to EMF can also draw down our melatonin levels, just like exposure to visible light at night.  So, it may be helpful to think of wireless and EMF as invisible lights that should be turned off at night before bed, just like we naturally turn off visible lights.

Here are some basic tips for reducing exposure at night:

-As a general rule, keep electronics out of the bedroom: TVs, cordless phones, cell phones and chargers.  Corded phones that don't need to be plugged into power outlets are OK.

-Move digital LED (Light Emitting Diode) alarm clocks away from your head.  They generate very large magnetic fields.   Ideally, move the clock to the other side of the bedroom or replace it with a battery powered analog or LCD clock.

-Unplug reading lights close to your head.  Even lights that are not on will generate electric fields and bring electrical noise closer to your head.

-Turn off cordless phone base stations at night.  The cordless phone base is the one that has the physical phone line going into it.  Unplug the unit or put it on a light timer.  The wireless signal from these base stations is constantly on and has a large reach, so turn it off even if it's far from your bedroom.

-Turn off your Wi-Fi at night.  You could put the Wi-Fi router's plug on a light timer, or some routers have a software configuration that will allow you to turn it on and off at specific times.  You could also use a remote switch to turn the plug and Wi-Fi on only when you need it for a limited duration of time.

These simple steps will help you avoid the most common electronic and EMF (Electromagnetic Fields) problems that can interfere with your sleep.  When you are ready, there are even more steps you can take to reduce your exposure: The Real Reason Electronics are Effecting Our Sleep - Part 2.